PUTRAJAYA: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah today held the 30th pre-Cabinet weekly audience with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, which Istana Negara described as “most meaningful”.
Comptroller of the Royal Household for Istana Negara, Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, said in a statement that the audience, at Istana Melawati here, took place for 45 minutes from 8 am.
“The audience today was most meaningful because it was the 30th pre-Cabinet meeting with the Prime MInister since Al-Sultan Abdullah was elected as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong in January this year.
“This shows that Al-Sultan Abdullah is not only very concerned about the administration of the country, His Majesty also takes seriously the welfare of his subjects.
“Al-Sultan Abdullah is also very meticulous, His Majesty always scrutinises at length Cabinet notes and memorandums as well as reports a day before the pre-Cabinet meetings,” he said.
Ahmad Fadil said Al-Sultan Abdullah is also very attentive during the audience and that His Majesty jots down in a small notebook the details of the discussion with the Prime Minister.
He said the pre-Cabinet meeting is among the weekly activities or the main routine of His Majesty to discuss and exchange views with the Prime Minister.
The pre-Cabinet meetings, which last about 30 to 40 minutes, are usually held on Wednesdays or Fridays (when the Dewan Rakyat is sitting). The meetings will still be held if the Prime Minister cannot attend and he will be represented by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
The pre-Cabinet meeting, however, will not be held if it falls on a public holiday or if an official national event or ceremony takes place on that day, like when the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition took place in March.
“The caring and selfless nature of Al-Sultan Abdullah also shone through when His Majesty decreed that the pre-Cabinet meeting with the Prime Minister is held at Istana Melawati and not at Istana Negara (in Kuala Lumpur) as is usually the case.
“This is to avoid having the Prime Minister going all the way to Istana Negara from his office in Putrajaya,” he said.
Ahmad Fadil said His Majesty will leave Istana Negara at 7.15 am and arrive at Istana Melawati at 7.50 am for the pre-Cabinet meeting which starts at 8 am.
The Comptroller said His Majesty also advised the people to be patient and place their faith in the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers in their efforts to prosper the nation.